14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has recently announced a new security patch for Windows Update specifically supposed to increase protection of the customers receiving the updates and to ensure a more secure communication between the client and the server.
Basically, all new Windows operating systems are getting this new pack of improvements, including Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1, Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Server 2012. The rollout officially started on June 23 and will continue in the coming weeks to make sure that all computers running any of the aforementioned operating system versions are getting it.
Microsoft says that this is an automatic update, so unless you have turned the automatic updates off on your computer, the patch might already be there waiting for a reboot.
“Similar to past updates, this update will be automatically installed if Automatic Updates is turned ON, either set to automatically install updates or notify to download/install updates,” the company explains in a post.
No settings will be changed on your computer and the update will be automatically deployed, as long as automatic updates are turned on, Microsoft further notes.
“As with past updates, this update will not change your current Windows Update or Automatic Updates settings. Anytime Windows Update (or Automatic Updates) is turned ON, either set to automatically install updates or notify to download/install updates, Windows Update will take care of updating itself,” it said.
According to information posted in KB2887535, the new patch for Windows Update includes hardening of infrastructure used by WU/MU client and a more secure communication channel between WU/MU Client and Service, which could actually be used by future updates prepared for Windows workstations.
As you might have heard, Microsoft is working on a second update for Windows 8.1, so these improvements might actually be used by the future release in order to successfully install on all computers.
In the past, both Windows 8.1 and 8.1 Update were hit by installation issues that prevented some computers from receiving it, even though the company promised a seamless experience for everyone. Most of these issues have been fixed afterward, but there's no doubt that both users and the company expect future OS updates to install more smoothly on their machines.
Windows 8.1 Update 2 is expected to be released in August or September, so make sure that you install these new improvements by that time.